Rabies kills approximately 20,000 people in India every year. Almost all of those deaths came from unvaccinated or under-vaccinated dogs. The disease is 100% preventable with a vaccine that costs Rs 150–400 at most vets.

What Is Rabies

Rabies is a viral infection of the central nervous system caused by the Lyssavirus and transmitted through the saliva of an infected animal - almost always through a bite. Once the virus reaches the brain, it is 100% fatal. There is no treatment. There is only prevention.

How Dogs Get Rabies

In India, the primary reservoir is unvaccinated street dogs. India has an estimated 30 million street dogs, the majority unvaccinated against rabies.

  • A bite from an infected street dog during a walk or off-leash encounter
  • Contact with wildlife - jackals, bats, and mongooses are known wildlife reservoirs
  • Licking of an open wound by an infected animal

Symptoms in Dogs

Stage 1 - Prodromal Phase (2–3 days)

  • Sudden, unexplained behaviour change
  • Fever
  • Excessive licking or biting at the bite wound site
  • Apparent depression or restlessness

Stage 2 - Furious (Excitative) Phase (1–7 days)

  • Aggression - unprovoked biting and snapping
  • Disorientation, restlessness, pacing
  • Excessive barking or howling
  • Foaming at the mouth

Stage 3 - Paralytic (Dumb) Phase (2–4 days)

  • Progressive paralysis
  • Jaw drops open (cannot close mouth)
  • Inability to swallow or drink
  • Seizures
  • Death from respiratory failure

There is no cure at Stage 2 or 3.

If Your Dog Is Bitten by a Stray or Unknown Dog

  1. Do not handle the wound with bare hands
  2. Wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water for at least 15 minutes
  3. Apply antiseptic
  4. Call your vet immediately - even if your dog is vaccinated against rabies
  5. Report the biting animal to your local municipal authority

If You Are Bitten

  1. Wash the wound with soap and water for 15 minutes immediately
  2. Apply antiseptic
  3. Go to a hospital or clinic the same day
  4. Ask for post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) - a series of 5 injections given on days 0, 3, 7, 14, and 28
  5. PEP is FREE at government hospitals across India

The Vaccination Schedule

  • First dose: 12 weeks of age
  • Booster: 1 year after the first dose
  • Annual: Every year without exception
  • Cost: Rs 150–400 per injection at private vets; free at government veterinary hospitals

Related: Complete dog vaccination schedule India | Tick fever in dogs India

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